Did Noah Lyles win today? Here's how Lyles finished in 100-meter dash, highlights
Outside of Sha'Carri Richardson, sprinter Noah Lyles is arguably the most well-known American track and field athlete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Prior to this year's games, Lyles had said he wanted to win gold in each of the four major sprinting events in Paris: the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4x100-meter relay, and 4x200-meter relay. Lyles had his first shot at Olympic immortality today with the 100-meter.
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The finals were not Lyles' first race of the day, though. The 100-meter semifinals took place earlier today as well, with Lyles finishing second in his heat, two-hundredths of a second off the winner, Jamaica's Oblique Seville (9.81). That result spawned this viral picture of Lyles eyeing down the man who beat him.
Oblique Seville and Noah Lyles stared each other down as they crossed the finish line in the men's 100M semifinal 👀
Seville beat Lyles by 0.02 of a second. pic.twitter.com/o0raB5YtH3— ESPN (@espn) August 4, 2024
Another Jamaican, Kishane Thompson, also ran a 9.8 in the semifinals to seed himself above Lyles. Still, despite having not won either of the two qualifying races leading up to the finals, Lyles was still a popular pick to win gold.
Here's how the race played out.
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Full 100-meter dash race
The race was tremendously close. Not even the announcers knew who won, thinking that Thompson earned the win on initial viewing. But it was Lyles who barely edged out every other racer. Even on repeat views in slow motion, it was hard to determine just when Lyles finished compared to the other athletes.
NOAH LYLES’ OLYMPIC DREAM COMES TRUE!
100M GOLD MEDALIST. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/qR6bkXLHhE— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 4, 2024
Full 100-meter dash results
First-, second- and third-place finishers win gold, silver and bronze, respectively.
Noah Lyles, United States — 9.79 (.784)
Kishane Thompson, Jamaica — 9.79 (.789)
Fred Kerley, United States — 9.81
Akani Simbine, South Africa — 9.82
Marcell Jacobs, Italy — 9.85
Letsile Tebogo, Botswana — 9.86
Kenneth Bednarek, United States — 9.88
Oblique Seville, Jamaica — 9.91
What does this mean for Lyles?
Lyles' win gave America its first gold in the 100-meter since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Lyles' dream of winning four golds at these games is still alive and well.
When does Lyles race next?
Heats for the 200-meter will happen on Monday. Lyles' first race will happen at 8:30 a.m. ET. The finals for the 200-meter are set for Thursday, Aug. 8 at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Carl Lewis is the last American to win both the 100- and 200-meter dashes in the same Olympics (1984).
Paris Olympics live updates: Noah Lyles wins track's 100M, USA adds two swimming golds
Reactions on social media
FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD 🥇
NOAH LYLES WINS 100M OLYMPIC GOLD!#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/HYqr0vxeVZ— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 4, 2024
The fact that Noah Lyles won this race is insane.. five one thousandths of a second!!! pic.twitter.com/OMPydrHceJ
— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) August 4, 2024
MEN’S 100M FINAL, RESULTS: By .004 seconds, NOAH LYLES is the 100m OLYMPIC CHAMPION! 9.784 to Kishane Thompson's 9.789. Fred Kerley comes through for his second Olympic medal with bronze.
1. 🇺🇸 Noah Lyles - 9.79
2. 🇯🇲 Kishane Thompson - 9.79
3. 🇺🇸 Fred Kerley - 9.81
4. 🇿🇦… pic.twitter.com/niqwL2F7kp— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavez) August 4, 2024
Noah Lyles won the Olympic Gold Medal in the 100m in dramatic fashion 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VDbi4JaWLZ
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 4, 2024
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did Noah Lyles win the 100-meter dash today? Highlights from Olympics